


Picture Perfect

by bellarkegriffin_blake



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bellarke, College, F/M, Fluff, Nervous Clarke, One Shot, Photography, shirtless bellamy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 08:11:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18890638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellarkegriffin_blake/pseuds/bellarkegriffin_blake
Summary: Clarke is a photographer trying to get some homework done when her shirtless crush comes and talks to her.





	Picture Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> This is a little one shot that I wrote a while ago and felt like publishing. Hope you like it!

_Tonight will be great for some night-time photography_  Clarke thinks to herself as she sits in her bedroom and looks at the weather forecast. It will be clear, a comfortable temperature, and slightly breezy which might just create the best pictures. In her art class at Harvard, she was assigned to take pictures of objects, settings, or people that mean something to her and write a short description about her best one. She has already taken some of her parents, friends, and some books she really enjoys, but she doesn’t feel like she has found the perfect one yet and only has a week left before it’s due. Her plan is to roam campus tonight to explore beautiful lighting and the different landscapes of the university.

Just then Raven comes into her room, looking defeated. She says, “Shaw and I just had an argument, and I lost.” Then she plops down beside Clarke on her bed.

“About what?” Clarke replies.

“I just got a not-so-great grade on a test and he keeps telling me that one grade is not going to ruin my future career.”

“So… he is being a supportive boyfriend. I fail to see the problem.”

Raven sighs, “I guess I’m just not used to someone caring like he does.”

“Did the argument get resolved, at least?”

“Yeah. He kissed me and all was forgiven.” Clarke couldn’t help but wish that she had someone in that way. She had a certain boy in mind, too.

“Earth to Clarke! Thinking about Bellamy again?”

“What…? No…” Clarke sees Raven’s eyebrow raised so high it basically comes off her forehead. “Ok, fine. I was.”

“You need to talk to him.”

“And say what?”

“Tell him how you feel.”

“Easier said than done. Besides, I have to go take some more pictures. It’s starting to get dark out and I hope to get some good shots of campus.”

“Alright, but think about it.”

With that, Clarke gets up from her bed and leaves. Dusk is starting to settle in and she can already tell she is going to get some great photos. She arrives at Harvard Yard and sees that she is correct. The setting sun is shining just right on the trees making the autumn leaves emanate a soft glow. She makes sure and snaps a few of the area. She is about to capture the sides of a few of the buildings when movement catches her eye. Across the yard, a young, shirtless, man with black, curly hair is jogging. Clarke only recognizes who it is when he turns towards her and starts in her direction.  _Bellamy_.

She quickly puts her camera in its bag and tries to turn away before he sees her, but no such luck. From behind her, she hears him call her name.

“Hey, Clarke!”

Clarke stops in her tracks, takes a deep breath to gain some confidence, and turns around. Talking to him shouldn’t be this hard since they have been friends for years, but what happens to their friendship when he finds out how she feels. “What’s up?”

“Just trying to stay in shape. History classes have a tendency to lock me in my room all day studying.” Clarke is trying very hard to keep looking at his face instead of his solid abs, strong arms, or distinctly attractive jawline. “What about you?”

“Taking pictures for my art class. Campus is beautiful at this time of night.” She hopes he can’t tell how nervous she is.

“Oh, cool! Can I see some?”

Stunned, she replies, “Umm, sure,” and slowly takes her camera back out. While she is fiddling with her pictures, she feels him walk around her so he is looking over her shoulder. She can feel his body heat radiating off him and is glad that he can’t see her face.

Clarke scrolls through each photo one by one and is keenly aware of every breath Bellamy takes. “These are incredible,” Bellamy whispers in her ear. A little sigh escapes her lips at the closeness of his mouth to her cheek.

After the last picture she took, she turns to look at him and thanks him. What she doesn't realize is that she pressed the button to go back to the beginning of her camera roll.

“I think I like this one the best,” he tells her.

Clarke has no idea what he means until she looks down and sees her own smiling face staring back at her. “Oh! That’s…that’s nothing. Just something my mom took when I first got this camera.” They are both looking at each other now, and Clarke can’t take her eyes off his gorgeous brown eyes. Or his lips for that matter. Realizing she has been staring, and choosing to ignore that he has been staring back, she looks away and tells him, “Sorry, but I have to go. I need to upload these and pick which one to write about.”

“You really are beautiful, though.”

Clarke’s cheeks are completely blushed and tries to reply but nothing comes out. Instead she turns away.  _Just tell him how you feel_. Raven’s voice echoes in the back of her mind. After a few steps she stops, turns back around towards Bellamy, who she finds still starting at her, and basically yells, “I really like you.” She sees his semi-shocked reaction and worries that this was a mistake. _I told you so, Raven_. “I mean, I like our friendship even more. I don’t want anything to change so…just forget what I said, and I will never bring it up again.”

Now she makes a beeline for her dorm. Clarke feels herself starting to speed walk, trying to get away from the situation as fast as possible. She doesn’t get twenty feet away and she feels hands on her waist. They turn her around and she is facing Bellamy again. He keeps both hands where they are. She is holding back her tears and avoids eye contact when she hears his gravelly voice say, “I really like you, too.”

Clarke looks at him, not quite believing what she is hearing. They stay like that for a moment; her in his arms, gazing into each other’s eyes, before Bellamy closes the distance between them and kisses her. It is a loving kiss, like they have been doing it for years, but at the same time a kiss so deep it’s like it will never happen again. She buries her hands in his hair while he wraps his arms around her waist. He pulls her so close that not even a slip of paper can fit between them.

After a while, Bellamy pulls back, looks her straight in her bright blue eyes, and says, “Nothing is going to ruin our friendship, Clarke. “Or our more-than-friendship if I have anything to do with it.”

“I hope not.” They both smile and give one last hug before separating for the night. She watches him walk away and snaps one final picture.

As she writes her paper, she explains how the photo she chose shows the spot where she finally gained the courage to tell her now boyfriend how she felt, and how it has changed her life.


End file.
